[The role of agentic capacities in turnover intentions among nurses]

Voluntary turnover in the nursing profession is one of the main concerns in hospitals and it requests comprehensive research. This study contributes to explain the reasons related to turnover intention of nurses and provides causes for reflection to improve the working practice.

161 nurses and 13 nursing coordinators, working in the wards of two Italian hospitals, participated in the study. A self-report questionnaire was administered to them in order to analyze the relationship between agentic capacities (self-regulation, anticipation, vicarious learning, self-reflection) and the intentions to leave the ward and the hospital.

The data show a negative association between self-regulation and the desire to leave the ward and the hospital, and a positive association between self-reflection and the intention to leave the ward. The results also show that organizational seniority has a negative effect on intentions to leave the ward and the hospital, while professional seniority has a positive effect only on the intention to leave the hospital. Finally, the nursing coordinators perceive to have a greater ability to manage their own emotional states and behavior, to prefigure future events and to learn from their own experience than nurses.

The study's results suggest actions and interventions to develop self-regulation of the nursing staff to reduce turnover intentions and improve the quality of the service offered taking into account seniority and professional organization.